Does Solar Water Heater Work in Winter?

The sun’s rays don’t reach the ground directly in winter, but they still warm water as they pass through the atmosphere. That warmth is captured by a solar water installation and turned into usable hot water.

Typical solar water heaters will be able to heat 60-80% of the water you use over the course of that year. That means, for a family of 4 using 120 gallons per day, a solar water heater can heats up to 72-96 gallons of water on a sunny day during April-September. In winter (November-March), when sun hours are shorter and the temperature is below freezing, the heaters might only be able to heat up to 10-20% of your water.

Solar hot water is not a new technology and there are no hard and fast rules as to when it’s the best time to install solar. Factors that will influence this decision include local cost of energy, your geographical location, available resources like rooftop space, and maintenance requirements.

In a solar water heater, when the temperature is cold during winter, radiator fluid technology is used. In this system, a liquid catalyst or radiator fluid is warmed by sun’s energy and it is pumped in the heat exchange tank. The heated radiator fluid then circulates through the collector tubes to Jensen collectors where it transfers its warmth to the water.

The short answer is YES! Solar power works 365 days/year. There are exceptions to this- Obviously cloudy or dark days don’t produce as much solar energy, but on average solar PV and solar thermal systems will still produce a fair amount of electricity even during the winter months. There are a few things you can do to maximize output, including adding storage to your system so you can use the energy when it’s available, using a smart meter to track your energy usage over time, and installing a weather protection system like a sun blockingArchitectural Screen.